GUS SZAMBOTI
FOUR POINT MAPLE AND EBONY
WITH DOUBLE BLACK VENEERS
(1976-77)
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Here is one of the most sought-after Gus Szamboti cues, according to the Billiard Encyclopedia. It is a four point Gus built with a double black veneer on the outside of the points. Made only during 1976-77, the design never caught Gus' fancy, so he only made a small number and then stopped, making this cue rare and hard to find.
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All original, this cue was - literally - kept in a closet for 40 years. It is in remarkably good condition, with one exception, a small crack at the base of one of the points under the finish. The overall finish is excellent, and overall I'd say it was in the best condition I've see for a player-level Szamboti of this age and vintage. And, it is all straight, both apart and when together.
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The butt sleeve is built of ebony, with the very traditional Gus maple windows.
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The nose is built with ebony points going into a maple nose, with a notched mother-of-pearl diamond in the base of each.
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The finish on the cue, overall is in excellent condition. This cue sat in its case, unplayed, from 1982 until recently, so at the most it could have only received a few years play. And whoever that was took great care in keeping it nice.
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The finish hasn't significantly dulled or yellowed on it, and the wood colors and veneers are still nice and bright.
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Here is a good picture of the crack in the base of the one point. I took a close-up and got the light just right so it can be see clearly. In person it doesn't look this distinctive - the picture exagerates it a bit. But, I wanted to be sure a buyer could see it well.
The crack is under the finish and can't be felt in the finish itself. It is totally sealed, and appears to be a crack in the wood itself, not the finish. Close examination shows the crack goes up to the diamond, stops and then continues through the wood above the diamond, so I believe it's in the wood, not the finish. It's a natural crack in the ebony, and not from misuse or abuse. Ebony is a very dense, hard, dry wood, and is sometimes known to do this on older cues.
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The veneers are classic Szamboti - nothing fancy, just classy. As mentioned earlier, in this one he used two black veneers laid side by side on the outside, then mahogany, then natural maple. The two stacked black veneers are so well done that they appear to be one very thick black veneer.
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It still has the original Cortland wrap, and in good condition.
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A nice close-up of the maple windows.
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Bright, pretty veneer work, and nice, long sharp points.
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The picture below shows just how bright and polished the finish still is.
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As with most the old Szambotis, it has a delrin butt cap, ivory ferrules and the original old rubber bumper, attached with a screw. The bumper has hardened as you would expect, but is in better shape than most I see.
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It's built with the traditional piloted joint, with slotted maple rings, and a steel 5/16X14 pin. Both shafts are in good shape, about 12.5 mm, and were well-taken care of.
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Finding any old Gus Szamboti cue is a rare find these days, but finding a unique one like this, in such good condition, is even more unusual. I sent the cue to Pete Tascarella (the leading expert on these cues) and obtained a letter of authentication for it, which accompanies the cue.
If interested, email for more details or price.
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